Andy Fitzpatrick has his mind set on wielding the whistle from the sidelines someday.
Fitzpatrick, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., plans to continue to take the field after graduation, as a coach rather than from his perch between the goalposts.
But for this week’s Super Star of the Week, the venue might not be as expected as you would think. Instead of running the plays on the soccer pitch, Fitzpatrick prefers the hardwood.
“I actually kind of want to be a basketball coach before I want to be a soccer coach,” Fitzpatrick said of where to expect to see him next.
This is not a far cry for Fitzpatrick, a life-long basketball player and fan, who was even acquainted with the Oklahoma City University men’s basketball program before joining the soccer team. Fitzpatrick reminisced about his introduction to Stars basketball.
“My freshman year I was at a junior college in Kansas City and me and my dad are big basketball fans. We go to the NAIA basketball tournament every year that we get an opportunity to,” Fitpatrick recalls.
“The weekend before [I came to try out for the soccer team] I had gone and watched OCU win the tournament.”
His basketball playing days were hampered by knee injuries that forced him to sit out of his junior year of both soccer and basketball, giving him the chance to reflect on his playing future.
“I just kind of realized that maybe soccer was the route I needed to take,” Fitzpatrick said. “I got a couple of opportunities, so I took advantage.”
Fitzpatrick has been taking advantage ever since. After playing his first year of collegiate soccer at Maple Woods (Mo.), Fitzpatrick took the opportunity presented to him by soccer club coach Johnny Chain, and came to try out at OCU. Since being a Star, Fitzpatrick has garnered Sooner Athletic Conference accolades and NAIA all-American honors.
But he’s directing his post-college energy to being on the court and in the classroom.
“When I thought about the whole teaching aspect, I like being able to move around. I cannot see myself sitting at a cubicle or at a desk all day, and then when I thought about the coaching aspect, I don’t see myself off a playing field.
“Whether it be basketball or whether it be soccer I don’t think I could picture myself doing something indoors all day, so that’s kind of what I was leaning towards,” Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick’s soccer coach at OCU, Brian Harvey, can picture great success for Andy as he strives to join the coaching ranks.
“He’s been a team captain, so he understands about leadership,” Harvey said. “I think the responsibility he’s taken over the three years he’s been here will stand him good stead. I feel that one day he’ll make a very good coach.”
Now it’s time to flip the coin and see if they’ll be coaching across the sidelines from one another or if Fitzpatrick finds the basketball court first.
More on Andy:
Favorite OCU professor: Dr. Lawter
Number of text messages I have sent today: 0
Career plans: Teach high school and coach
Favorite game show: The Price is Right
Reason I picked OCU: Good school, great soccer
